Leila Cole

The City of Waxahachie's Comprehensive Plan serves as a long-range blueprint for community development, providing a framework and policy context for decisions related to land use and future development. Comprising sections from the 2007 Comprehensive Plan and a 2016 Addendum, it addresses critical areas such as land use planning, transportation, growth strategies, and implementation. The plan guides decisions concerning zoning, land subdivision, thoroughfare construction, park and recreation planning, and growth management.

A public hearing will be held on the budget of the City of Waxahachie, Texas, for the fiscal year October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026. The budget will raise more total property taxes than last year's budget by $2,723,750 or 6.4%, and of that amount, $1,694,576 is tax revenue to be from new property added to the tax roll this year. The proposed budget includes expenditures for various departments such as Police, Fire, Streets, Parks and Recreation, and others.

The meeting included public comments, approval of the consent agenda (with some items removed for discussion), and several zoning cases. Discussion points included questions about funding for fiberglass hearts, the use of impact fees versus certificates of obligation bonds, and the necessity of curb and gutter installation in a new development. A proclamation declaring July 4th, 2018 through July 4th, 2018 as Crepe Myrtle Month was presented. Financial reports for various entities were reviewed and approved. Public hearings and approvals were conducted for several zoning changes and plats, including requests for a general retail zoning change, a preliminary plat for a dental office, and a final plat for America's Business Park. Discussions also included right-of-way dedications and infrastructure requirements. A special use permit for a home for aged residents was approved.

The City Council meeting included various agenda items. Consent agenda items were approved. A final plat for a subdivision was approved. A replat for a college addition was approved. Another final plat for a ranch subdivision was approved, contingent on the addition of a fire hydrant. A replat for a meadow subdivision was approved. A specific use permit for an accessory building was approved. A zoning change was approved. A public hearing was held for a specific use permit for another accessory building, which was ultimately denied due to size and proximity to property lines. A specific use permit for a unified electronic message sign was approved with conditions. A zoning change request was continued to a future meeting. A public hearing was held for a specific use permit for trailer-truck sales and rentals, which was denied due to incomplete site improvements from a previous approval. Discussion and consideration were given to the applicant's recent efforts to address the outstanding site improvements.

The Planning and Zoning meeting addressed several planning requests. Discussions included a preliminary plan request for residential lots (Cowboy Acres), a final plan request for the same property, a rooftop solar panel system request, and a final plat request for multifamily zoning (DeMarco 287). A request for a specific use permit for ABC Supply was also reviewed, with concerns raised about visibility from I-35 due to proposed outdoor storage. The meeting also involved discussion of a right-of-way dedication and a request for First Place Center.